Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and US President Joe Biden discussed regional and global stability during a phone call on Thursday. The two leaders stressed the importance of strengthening the partnership between the two countries and the depth of their historical relations, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. During the call, King Salman congratulated Biden on taking office last month. The talks dealt with the most important issues in the region and reviewed developments of common interest, the report said. The two sides discussed Iran’s behavior in the region, its destabilizing activities...

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and a team of policemen on Friday, February 26, reportedly attempted to arrest Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho. This reportedly led to mayhem along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Friday. In a viral video circulated on social media, Igboho is seen topless with his men daring the security operatives to “do their worst” before they drove off. Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation, issued a statement regarding the chronology of events. According to Fani-Kayode, Igboho was on his way to...

Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle has charged the Nigerian Service Chiefs to ensure safe return of the adopted girls of Jangebe School. The visibly disturbed Governor also charged the Service Chiefs to avoid collateral damage in their rescue effort. Early this morning, reports from Zamfara State has it that some  bandits in their numbers stormed and kidnapped some yet to be ascertained numbers of school girls at Jangebe, a town under Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State. In a statement by Zailani Bappa, media Aide to Governor Bello...

The Bauchi State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), says it will stop its members from selling and supplying cattle to the southern parts of the country if the governors carry out their recent threats of evicting herdsmen from their states. The group, while addressing a press conference in Bauchi on Wednesday, also threatened to sue the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, for labelling Fulani herdsmen as terrorists. At the briefing, the state Chairman of MACBAN, Abubakar Sadiq, said they will be forced to...

With a population of 99 million Muslims, the largest in the region, Nigeria offers the strongest potential for growth of Islamic finance in sub-Saharan Africa despite penetration of sharia products still lagging at 1 per cent of the country’s total banking industry. This is according to global ratings agency Moody’s, which also lists Egypt, Morocco, Sudan, South Africa and Senegal as the African countries expected to lead growth in Islamic banking in the coming years. “Most of these countries have large Muslim populations, a history of sukuk issuance and have...

Kaduna based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi on Thursday carpeted Nigerian journalists for referring to bandits as criminals. Gumi, who accused the media of fuelling insecurity by describing bandits as criminals, also said Nigerians should stop addressing bandits as criminals if they must surrender. The Islamic scholar stated this on Thursday while speaking on Arise Television. According to him, if the media wants them to surrender, they should not be castigated and referred to as criminals but nice words should be used to describe them. He said: “You’re emphasising on...

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, has had successful surgery for appendicitis, state media reported late Wednesday. The 35-year-old prince had “successful laparoscopic surgery (Wednesday) morning for appendicitis at King Faisal Specialist Hospital” in Riyadh, the official Saudi Press Agency reported. SPA tweeted footage of the prince walking out of the hospital with an entourage and getting into the front passenger seat of a car. The prince has overseen the most fundamental transformation of Saudi Arabia in its modern history, shaking up the ultraconservative oil...

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has condemned the alleged marginalization of Christians in appointments into federal government offices by the Buhari-led government. National president of the fellowship, Rev. Dr. Felix Omobude disclosed this in a statement in Benin City, saying government actions could further negatively affect the unity of the country. He noted that Nigeria has never been as divided the way it is now under the present administration. “PFN is most saddened with the on-going appointment exercise in the judiciary where only adherents of a particular religion are...

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Wednesday, declared that starting from 2022 year, the government would declare Hijrah holiday in line with the yearnings of the Muslim community. Makinde made the declaration during the celebration of 2021 Mawlud Nabiyy, held at the Remembrance Arcade of the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan. He stressed the need for the Muslim faithful and non-Muslims as well to continue to peacefully coexist. A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor said the state will always rise above the antics...

– Olota of Otta honours Speaker with traditional title – Says Obasa’s leadership of the Assembly has benefitted Awori people in Lagos The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, has urged traditional rulers in the Southwestern part of Nigeria to continue to protect the culture and tradition of the people of the zone by constantly speaking the Yoruba language. Speaker Obasa made the plea on Tuesday at the palace of the Olota of Otta, His Royal Majesty, Prof Adeyemi Obalanlege, where he was...